tristanWhen it comes to free standing shampoo bowls, you have a plethora of different options available on the market. As you may have guessed; some of these are going to be absolutely abysmal.
Others are going to be brilliant. Our team have been working incredibly hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, and we think we have put together a collection of 7 shampoo bowls that we reckon would do well in any salon.
How we have selected these products
Before we start talking about the actual products we have selected, we want to give you a quick overview of how we go about selecting them. This way you will know we put oodles of effort into ensuring you are only introduced to the best products around.
Of course, we give the freestanding shampoo bowls that we test here hours and hours in our hands. However, it is nigh on impossible to get everything there is to know about a product from our testing. Our user experience is going to be different to the experience that other people have had with the products. This means that when we are doing our research, we go through countless other product reviews, just to get an idea of how other people were using the product. If we have a positive experience, but other people are having a negative experience, then the freestanding shampoo bowls are not going to be included on our list.
Of course, the most important consideration for us is ensuring that you get the biggest bang for your buck. While shampoo bowls are relatively simple bits of gear, we still want to ensure that there are features in place which will make them a little bit easier for you to use, or maybe cut down on some of the other kit that you will need in your salon. It is also important to us (and probably to you) that the freestanding shampoo bowls are ‘built to last’.
Amazon.comWhat you should be looking for in freestanding shampoo bowls
There are several things that you will need to look for in a shampoo bowl. We have tried to consider all of these potential features when putting together our list of the 7 best freestanding shampoo bowls out there. This includes:
We start by focusing on comfort. Obviously, when you have people coming into your salon, you want to ensure that they are comfortable. This is going to be the main factor in keeping them coming back to use your services. The freestanding shampoo bowls we have put on this list are incredible comfortable, not only for the customer, but for you to use too.
Not every shampoo bowl is going to be compatible with every type of salon chair out there. Obviously, you are going to want to choose something which can easily be slid into whatever set-up you currently have in place. After all, nobody wants to buy a shampoo bowl only to discover that they need to replace all the chairs in their salon too.
The size of the shampoo bowl will tie into the compatibility with existing gear, but it will also play a role in whether you can fit it into your salon. You have other bits and pieces to include in your salon, so you need to be able to fit the shampoo bowl in among all of that. You do not want it to be too big.
Finally; the shampoo bowl needs to be easy to put together. You do not want to spend hours doing each one, particularly if you have a few to deal with at once.
Icarus Streamline ‘Black Beauty’ Salon Shampoo Bowl
If you have a higher class establishment, then the Icarus Streamline ‘Black Beauty’ is perfect for you. Made of ceramic, it has a nice and sleek finish…and it is not even going to set you that much back in the way of cash.
While you will need to add a neck rest if you want the highest level of comfort possible from this shampoo bowl, it is still going to be comfortable ‘out of the box’. The head rest has the perfect curvature which should provide the most relaxing experience possible for the user.
It is quick and easy to use. If you are using this to replace a shampoo bowl you already have, then the plumbing work is something that you will easily be able to tackle with little to no knowledge. Everything you need to know can be found with the included user guide, or perhaps by searching online at YouTube. It is a popular shampoo bowl, so you should find a wealth of information. It is worth noting that the included hardware is not the highest quality in the world, so you will want to swap them out, but that should not be too expensive. You can connect to your plumbing in several different ways too. You can do it through the wall or the floor, so you have plenty of options dependent on how your salon has been set-up.
This is a bit of kit which is going to last for a while too. The surface is both scratch and stain resistant, so you do not need to worry about any major issues occurring. Years down the line, it is going to look almost as fantastic as the day you purchased it. There are very few shampoo bowls on the market that you can say that about!
You are going to have a hose included with the kit, but many people will ‘upgrade’ the shower hose to better fit with the aesthetic of the rest of their salon, and because this shampoo bowl is so affordable, you will easily be able to afford an extra hose. It is not necessary, but it is going to be nice if you want your business to look as beautiful as possible.
Icarus"Streamline" Black Beauty Salon Freestanding Shampoo Sink & Bowl
Features
- Ceramic shampoo bowl with a high gloss finish
- Stain-resistant and easy to clean
- Connects to plumbing through the wall and floor
- Chrome faucet (MS-37) with 1/2" female connectors
- Includes a rubber spray hose (MS-38), a Flex Tube (SG-07) and Cap Cover (MS-10)
Pros:
- Affordable
- Well-constructed
- Easy to set-up
- Will last for a long time
Cons:
- Included hardware is not the best in the world.
Ceramic Adjustable Freestanding Shampoo Bowl
If you are looking for a ‘complete set-up’ for your salon, then this may be perfect for you. This is because it comes included with a pretty comfortable chair. This means that you do not need to worry about purchasing a chair that is going to fit. You also do not need to worry about sliding the chair across the floor almost constantly to try and get the perfect ‘fit’. It is going to fit right out of the box.
If that wasn’t enough in terms of comfort, you also get a free gel neck rest included in the box, which means your customers are going to absolutely love coming into your salon and having their hair washed. It is one of the most comfortable shampoo bowls on the market.
It should be a simple shampoo bowl to install for the majority of people. It can be plumbed in out of the back, and you will have plenty of space to work with. The front panel will cover up all the pipework, so your clients are going to be none the wiser as to how this intricate system works.
It is a work of beauty too. Seriously. It comes complete with chrome hardware, which looks delightful when set up properly. Not only does chrome look good, but it is easy to keep clean, and you can be sure that your free standing shampoo bowl is going to continue looking brilliant for as long as possible. This is another thing that your customers are going to be majorly impressed with.
The one major issue that we have with this shampoo bowl is that the included hose is of a terrible quality. It is not like the previous product where you can probably get away with using the hose for a long period of time. This is something which you are going to absolutely need to upgrade at some point, preferably as soon as you pick up the unit.
CERAMIC Adjustable Freestanding Shampoo Bowl
Features
- FREE: 6 Black Salon Quality Towels, Comfort Gel Neckrest, Professional Plumbing P-Trap Catch
- 6" Easy Tilt Adjustable Bowl to Fit Clients of all Heights
- Modern yet simple design
- Triple Certified Vaccum Breaker
- 1 Year Manufacturer's Warranty
Pros:
- Easy to install
- Looks fantastic
- Completes complete with chair
- Comfortable
Cons:
- Ideally, replace the hose for a better quality one
Saloniture Portable Salon Basin
This is the first salon basin on our list which can be used in both a salon and in a home environment. In fact; this is the exact bit of kit that you will be able to find in the arsenal of many, many mobile beauty experts. However, there are plenty of men and women who have purchased this for their own personal use.
We are not going to lie and say that it looks like the most beautiful freestanding shampoo bowl in the world. The thing is, when you need to make sure that something is portable, you do need to make some changes. This means that it has a very plastic-feel to it, no doubt because it is made with plastic. This means that it is probably not going to be something that you will want to have on display in your salon. It is more going to be for those who may not need to be using a salon basin that often, but it is nice to have anyway.
It is more built for use in homes. It is lightweight, and can easily be connected up to most water supplies to get it working. That being said, it can also be plumbed into place if you really want to have it plumbed in, although if you are looking for something which you are going to have permanently sat in place, you will want to buy something different.
Despite being made of plastic, it is surprisingly comfortable to use, although you may wish to purchase a neck rest to make it a bit ‘better’.
Saloniture Freestanding Salon Basin Shampoo Sink with Drain
Features
- Professional salon quality: Our basin is constructed of durable stain-resistant lightweight ABS composite with a rolled edge and supported by a heavy-duty stainless-steel pipe. Premium features providing the ultimate in strength and comfort to meet needs of different customers and easy to maintain for years.
- Spacious bowl: Outer dimensions of the basin measure 18-1/2" front to back x 16-3/4" wide across back x 14-1/2" wide across front x 6" deep. Inner dimensions of the basin measure 16-1/2" front to back x 13-3/4" wide across back x 13" wide across front x 6" deep.
- Tiltable: Sink tilts both forward and backwards and can be raised or lowered from 39" to 55" (measured from floor to top of basin when level). The neck rest dips to as low as 33" from the floor when tilted, so this unit can be easily adjusted to accommodate most reclining or standard chairs.
- Durable: Heavy-duty pedestal with a 1-1/2" chrome metal riser and five composite legs form a 22" diameter base. Composite non-marring feet/bumpers are included on the bottom of the stand to protect floors from marks.
- Portable or permanent: The sink can be permanently installed or easily transported. The perfect choice for beauty salons and barbershops, wheelchair bound clients, traveling stylists, and home users. The included rubber plug stopper fits the drain opening at the bottom of the basin, and a flexible, 60" long x 1-1/4" diameter ribbed drain hose connects to the underside of the basin.
Pros:
- Portable
- Lightweight
- Cheap
- Easy to use
- Comfortable for the price
Cons:
- Probably not ideal for those who want something permanently in place.
Best Choice Products Adjustable Shower Basin
This is another portable adjustable shampoo bowl. It can easily be linked up to most water supplies. It is going to take a little bit of getting used to, but once you know how to do it, it should be ridiculously simple!
This shower basin has been made with ABS plastic. This helps to ensure that it is nice and lightweight, and easy to transport around. While it can be plumbed permanently into position, if you are looking for something which is going to make your salon look as brilliant as possible, this is not going to be it. You will want to look at one of the larger, more expensive, products out there. This is something which is more for mobile salon operators, or people who want something which is easy to use in the comfort of their own home.
Some people report that the shampoo bowl is a little bit too small, and it is true that you will not be able to store that much water in it. However, you do need to be aware that when you are making something portable, certain sacrifices are going to need to be made.
Some people have complained that the neck rest is a little bit too small. We can’t say that this is an issue that we really had with this product. We found it to be of a decent size, and worked with most things that we threw at it. However, if you are with somebody that wants a little bit more comfort, then you will need to spend a few hundred dollars on top of this.
One thing that we did love is the fact that there is a lot of adjustment on this shampoo bowl, which means that it should be suitable to be used with a multitude of different chairs. It can even be used with your standard dining room chair if you really want that.
Best Choice® Freestanding Adjustable Height Shampoo Basin Hair Treatment Bowl
Pros:
- Portable
- Lightweight
- Easy to use
- Works with several different chairs
Cons:
- Not the best-looking chair in the world.
Black Free Standing Backwash Shampoo Bowl
This is a quality free standing shampoo bowl, and it comes complete with everything that you need right out of the box. In fact, this is probably one of only a few shampoo bowls on the market which you are probably not going to need to upgrade any of the hardware.
The chair, despite not being the ‘greatest in the world’ is surprisingly comfortable. This means that you will not need to purchase an additional chair to work with the shower unit. You have a lot of adjustment on the chair too, which means that you should have no issue ensuring that your client is in a perfect and comfortable position during use.
This is a bit of kit which has been built to last. The bowl is scratch resistant, and the hardware looks impeccable. It is going to be nigh on possible to make even the smallest dent in the bowl. This is really going to impress your customers. As long as you give it a bit of tender loving care i.e. a wipe down every day, then you should be fine using this for years and years to come.
The major issue that we have with this shampoo bowl is that it is going to be ridiculously difficult to install if you do not have any idea about plumbing. This means that you are going to need to call in an expert to plumb it in for you, which will add a little bit extra to the cost. However, the fact that a professional is installing it will mean that you end up with a more ‘robust’ unit, which means it is going to last a whole lot longer for you.
Icarus"Liger" Black Reclining Salon Shampoo Chair Backwash Unit Package
Features
- Modern shampoo chair with upholstered and high quality vinyl.
- Chrome legs and frame are made from durable metal.
- Reclining backrest and footrest for the best comfort.
- Reclining lever on the left hand side, when sitting down.
Pros:
- Looks fantastic
- Brilliant value for the money
- Needs little to no upgrading
- Comes with a chair
Cons:
- Difficult to install without professional help
Modern White Salon Beauty Equipment Shampoo Bowl
This is actually the first white freestanding shampoo bowl that we have included on this list. Not that this is a bad thing. Generally speaking; the bulk of shampoo bowls on the market seem to be made in black for some reason. We guess that this fits in with the whole aesthetic that people want from their salon bowls.
One of the reasons why we selected this particular unit for inclusion on our list is the fact that it can easily slide into most salons. It is far smaller than any of the other shampoos on this list (bar the portable ones). So, if you are a bit hard for space in your salon, then this may be one of the better options on this page.
It looks good too, and even if you do not purchase a neck rest (although, it is recommended that you do), there should be a decent level of comfort for the people that use this.
While you do not get a chair included with this free standing shampoo bowl, it should not be difficult to find one that is compatible with it. In fact, just about any chair should be fine with the minimum amount of adjustment.
You will need to call in a professional plumber to have this installed in your salon. It is going to be a little bit tricky to install yourself, and it is not something that we would recommend anyway, mostly because there is a lot of pipework that you are going to need to get perfect with it.
If we did have one issue with this shampoo bowl, it is the fact that the white really does show up stains. Of course, this is something which you can expect with a white salon bowl. It should wipe down clean easily, however. It is stain resistant, so as long as you keep it clean, you should not run into too many issues.
Salon Beauty Modern White Free Standing Shampoo Bowl Unit
Pros:
- Looks fantastic when set up
- Comfortable to use, even without a head rest
- Great for salons with limited space
Cons:
- White means marks show up a bit easier
- Will need a professional to plumb it in
Free Standing Hair Wash Rinse Basin
We are going to wrap up this list of the best freestanding shampoo bowl reviews with another portable shampoo bowl. For such a low price, you will be able to enjoy something that is well-built. It may be a plastic bowl, but the metal support bar is fantastic, and will ensure that it lasts the longest amount of time when you are using it.
It is easy to install, and can be used with most water supplies. In fact, you will not even need to call in a plumber if you want this installed in your salon, because it can all be done with little to no knowledge. Everything that you need to know is included with the ‘instruction manual’, which is going to be brilliant.
It is made of plastic, but despite this, it does offer a surprising amount of comfort during use. It seems as if the team of designers have worked incredibly hard to make this ergonomic, and we don’t think we have seen a single review from people who claim that this is uncomfortable to use. That is actually quite rare when it comes to plastic units like this.
A little bit of care will need to be taken not to knock it about too much, because the slightest crack will mean that it needs to be replaced. Of course, the plastic is tough so you will need to hit it quite hard, but the last thing you want to do is knock it a bit too much and need to buy a new shampoo bowl, right?
Free-standing Hair Wash Rinse Basin
Features
- Made of high quality PP and stainless steel support bar.
- Fit the curve of neck, enjoy a comfortable shampoo.
- 8L large capacity.
- Adjustable, can adjust to the height you want.
- Easy to install and use
Pros:
- Comfortable
- Easy to use
- Easy to set-up
- Lightweight, which makes it incredibly portable
Cons:
- Made of plastic, which is of a lower quality than ceramic bowls